5.1 Gaseous fuels, such as natural gas, petroleum gases and bio-gases, contain sulfur compounds that are naturally occurring or that are added as odorants for safety purposes. These sulfur compounds are odorous, toxic, corrosive to equipment, and can inhibit or destroy catalysts employed in gas processing and other end uses. Their accurate continuous measurement is important to gas processing, operation and use, and is frequently of regulatory interest.

5.2 Small amounts (typically, total of 4 to 6 ppm(v)) of sulfur odorants are added to natural gas and other fuel gases for safety purposes. Some sulfur odorants are reactive and may be oxidized to form more stable sulfur compounds having higher odor thresholds which adversely impact the potential safety of the gas delivery systems and gas users. Gaseous fuels are analyzed for sulfur compounds and odorant levels to assist in pipeline integrity surveillance and to ensure appropriate odorant levels for public safety.

5.3 This method offers an on-line method to continuously identify and quantify individual target sulfur species in gaseous fuel with automatic calibration and validation.

1.1 This test method is for on-line measurement of gas phase sulfur-containing compounds in gaseous fuels by gas chromatography (GC) and electrochemical (EC) detection. This test method is applicable to hydrogen sulfide, C1 to C4 mercaptans, sulfides, and tetrahydrothiophene (THT).

1.1.1 Carbonyl sulfide (COS) is not measured according to this test method.

1.1.2 The detection range for sulfur compounds is approximately from 0.1 to 100 ppm(v) (mL/m³) or 0.1 to 100 mg/m³ at 25 °C, 101.3 kPa. The detection range will vary depending on the sample injection volume, chromatographic peak separation, and the sensitivity of the specific EC detector.

1.2 This test method describes a GC-EC method using capillary GC columns and a specific detector for natural gas and other gaseous fuels composed of mainly light (C4 and smaller) hydrocarbons. Alternative GC columns including packed columns, detector designs, and instrument parameters may be used, provided that chromatographic separation, quality control, and measurement objectives needed to comply with user or regulator needs, or both, are achieved.

1.3 This test method does not intend to identify and measure all individual sulfur species and is mainly employed for monitoring naturally occurring reduced sulfur compounds commonly found in natural gas and fuel gases or employed as an odorant in these gases.

1.4 This test method is typically employed in repetitive or continuous on-line monitoring of sulfur components in natural gas and fuel gases using a single sulfur calibration standard. Guidance for producing calibration curves specific to particular analytes or enhanced quality control procedures can be found in Test Methods D5504, D5623, D6228, D6968, ISO 19739, or GPA 2199.

1.5 The test method can be used for measuring sulfur compounds listed in Table 1 in air or other gaseous matrices, provided that compounds that can interfere with the GC separation and electrochemical detection are not present.

1.6 This test method is written as a companion to Practices D5287, D7165 and D7166.

1.7 Units—The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.

1.8 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

1.9 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.